Monster
by Nyx Martinez
Summary: Gaara/OC Gaara smiled at her, a soft warm smile, a smile that reached his eyes. He held out his small hand to her. She felt safe. She placed her hand in his. In one split second, Gaara changed. Altering into a demonic sand being. Kurami tried to scream, her throat was dry, as if the very sand under her feet was caught in her throat.'Gaara! No'
1. Prologue

Story Dedicated to my cousin Anai:

我愛羅 砂瀑の我愛羅, _Sabaku no Gaara_; English "Gaara of the Desert"

愛, _ai = love_

Kurami Mayonaka was Gaara's childhood friend until an unfortunate event forced her to leave her best friend and move to the Leaf Village. What will happen when she sees Gaara again?

**我愛羅愛****Monster:**

Prologue:

_It was a beautiful spring afternoon for the Sand Village. The sky was a brilliant shade of blue. The air wasn't as hot, the wind blowing felt cool._

_A little girl was outside on this lovely day, humming to herself as she sat on a large sand rock in front of her home. She kicked her feet in the air, as she was much too little to touch the ground. The cool breeze whizzed through her ebony hair, cooling her tan skin. _

_ "Kurami!"_

_ The little girl whipped her head around, looking towards the entrance of her home. She smiled as she saw her father, tall and dark-haired just like her. His deep set brown eyes smiled as he saw his little girl._

_ "__Otousan!"_ _The young girl cried with joy._

_ "Now what are you doing out here sitting __around, __Ojousan? We could be practicing!" His voice was light and friendly, as he wasn't being serious._

_ "I'm waiting for my friend!" _

_ "Oh, are you now." He smiled. "Well, I guess you don't want to be a ninja then."_

_ Kurami's eyes went big as she leaped off the rock, standing in front of her father. "No! I do want to be a ninja! We can practice!" The little girl was about to run inside to get her 'gear' but her father stopped her._

_ "I'm just joking Ojousan. You practice too much, you need a break." Kurami looked up at her father curiously, but before she could say anything else, she heard her name being called._

_ "Rami-chan!"_

_ Kurami instantly knew the voice that called out her nickname. She beamed as she turned to the source of the voice, looking upon a small, red-haired boy, his eyes looking friendly as ever._

_ "Gaara-san! You took so long!"_

_ His face fell a little, but he still smiled. "Gomen. There was an accident, but Yashamaru helped me."_

_ Kurami hated seeing her friend so sad, she could tell by the look in his eyes. "Oh, well let's go play!" _

_ Behind her, her father said something under his breath, but she didn't understand._

_ "KURAMI!" A voice from the house shrieked._

_ Gaara's eyes went just as wide as Kurami's did at that moment._

_ Kurami turned to her mother, who was running to where they were, the most scared look upon her face._

_ "Okasan? What's –" Kurami began, but her mother yanked her to her side, shielding her, but from what?_

_ "What's he doing here? Shujin?" Kurami's mother was so panicked, she pleaded to her husband._

_ He remained calm, "What's the matter? Who are you talking about? Gaara?"_

_ Gaara looked frightened; he looked to Kurami who was struggling to get out of her mother's grasp._

_ "You know perfectly well who I'm talking about!" She snapped, looking to Gaara in disgust. "The Shukaku! What's he doing here?" _

_ Kurami looked up at her mother wide eyed and confused. "What are you talking about?" Her voice barely came out as a whisper, her father dismissed her question._

_ "He's just Kurami's friend. And there's no need to say that word." Kurami's father reached an arm out to calm his wife, but she pulled back hard._

_ "No! My daughter will not be hanging around a-a monster!" _

_ A single tear slipped from Gaara's face. He didn't expect this from his best friend. Not from family of Kurami's._

_ Kurami's mother began pulling Kurami away, Kurami just made doing so difficult for her._

_ "No mommy! Gaara! Gaara, I'm sorry!" Kurami couldn't say anymore as she was pulled into her home._

_ Kurami's father looked down, shaking his head. "Gomenasai Gaara. I'm so very sorry."_

_ The boy looked down at his feet. "Everyone." He whispered, "Hates me." His blue eyes grew dark. He closed them, anger consuming him, he crouched down, unable to stand the feeling. "And now Kurami hates me!"_

_ Kurami's father shook his head, he was about to say she doesn't but something happened. Too fast to see, to hear, he was consumed into a grainy sandy tornado._

_ 'A sand storm? It can't be!'_

_ And it wasn't. _

_His lungs were giving out. He was blinded by scarlet. He gasped for air, for help. But was consumed into eternal darkness._

_No one had seen what happened. Not even Gaara. But the mistake of his father, of putting the Shukaku into him, consumed him. He killed his best friends' father. _

**I'm terrible at summaries but hopefully reading this prologue will give you a better understanding of what this story is about! It's my first Gaara FF, hope you enjoy!**


	2. Nightmares

******I do NOT own anything affiliated with the Naruto franchise, I take claim only to my OCs.**

**我愛羅愛****Monster:**

Chapter 1:

_Monster. _

_Death. _

_These words and more swam through Kurami's mind. _

_For one, she had no idea what was going on. _

_Why was her mom crying all the time? Where did her dad go? _

_And now she was being taken away? But why? What did she do wrong?_

"_It's no good for you to be here, Kurami." Her uncle would say, but her uncle said a lot of things. A lot of things to other people that made no sense._

"_My sister. She can't take care of Kurami. Not in her state."_

_Kurami walked behind her uncle. Her stuffed bear in hand, the one her father gave her. Her uncle spoke in a low, soothing voice._

"_You'll like it in Konoha. You'll have a good life there."_

_They were passing the Kazekage building. A skim of red caught her eye._

"_Gaara?" She whispered. _

_The young boy was sitting down on a step, staring straight at Kurami with upsetting eyes. _

_Kurami smiled feebly. She hadn't seen him since the day her mother pulled her away. The last day she saw her father. _

_She lifted her hand up, as if to wave goodbye. Gaaras' mouth turned up slightly, but he brooded once again, glaring down at his feet._

_Kurami felt her own smile fade. She glanced away from her best friend; she could feel the tears welling in her eyes._

_Shukaku._

_It came as a whisper at first. Kurami gave a quick look to where Gaara was, but he was gone. Instead there was a demonic looking being standing tall on the foot of the steps, sneering at her._

_Shukaku._

_It came louder this time. Kurami felt frightened. She sped up to where her uncle was, but he had disappeared. She looked back to the creature; he was closer to her now._

_Shukaku._

_Kurami tried to run, but her feet wouldn't move. She remained tranquil, searching for an escape as the demon came closer and closer._

_Kurami shut her eyes, praying for it to go away. She felt nothing, no impact on attack, no hard breathing. Nothing._

_Her eyelids slowly opened. She was face to face with, not a monster, but her best friend Gaara._

_Gaara smiled at her, a soft warm smile, a smile that reached his eyes. He held out his small hand to her. She felt safe. She placed her hand in his._

_In one split second, Gaara changed. Altering into a demonic sand being. Kurami tried to scream, her throat was dry, as if the very sand under her feet was caught in her throat._

'_Gaara! No!' She kept saying in her head. 'No!'_

"NO!"

Kurami shot up into a sitting position. She hugged herself, breathing heavily. She quickly glanced around; she was in a small room, her bedroom. She was safe and sound.

Kurami let out a sigh of relief.

"It was just a dream." She laid a hand to her chest, feeling the hard pounding of her heart. "Just a dream."

But it wasn't just a dream. It was a memory, a reminiscence she kept dreaming about since she moved to Konoha.

Of course, everything was a memory until she started hearing the eerie whisper of 'Shukaku'.

She shook the thoughts out of her head. Kurami didn't like thinking about the past, thinking about her father, her mother. Gaara.

"May-chan!"

Kurami jumped at the sudden voice. She looked to her door; it was just her cousin, grinning at her, peering from the door.

"You up?" Her cousin asked.

"I am now Sayumi." Kurami replied, throwing the blankets off of her, revealing the black pajamas she was wearing.

"Well good," Sayumi smiled, "Hurry and get ready! I won't be late because of you!"

Kurami walked past Sayumi towards the bathroom. "Late to the Academy? Are we ever?" Kurami joked.

Sayumi rolled her eyes, "Oh yeah, we're never late. That's why Iruka just loves yelling at us. Because we're never late."

Kurami was in the bathroom, looking at herself in the mirror. She was a mess in the morning. Her short black hair sticking out in all directions. There were dark circles under her eyes from the 'nightmares', and the fact that her eyes were half open didn't help. She had splashed water on her face, now drying it off.

"Wait. Don't we get put into our teams today?"

Sayumi rolled her eyes yet again, "Exactly. That's why you need to hurry up!" Sayumi walked away from her cousin on that note.

Kurami let out a sigh. "Today is going to be a long day."

Kurami and Sayumi walked into the academy building together and into Iruka's room. The room was bustling. The excitement of getting put into teams was intensifying to everyone.

They sat in the furthest seat from the front of the room. Ending up sitting at a table next to a chubby kid they called Chouji and his friend Shikamaru who seemed to always be sleeping.

Sayumi rolled her eyes and opened her mouth to say something when the entrance door slammed open with a loud BANG.

"Move it billboard brow, I was here first!"

"No I was, Ino-pig!"

Kurami sighed at the two girls' belligerence. "They're so annoying."

Sayumi nodded, "I don't know what I'd do if I got teamed up with either of them."

The two girls, known as Sakura and Ino, eventually got out of the doorway and walked to their separate seats. Of course, not before drooling over the raven haired guy who was sitting alone, brooding to himself. Not that they were the only ones swooning over him.

"Poor Sasuke. The kid never gets a break from his fan girls." Sayumi said dryly.

At that moment, a short blonde boy in an orange jump suit scampered towards Sasuke and Sakura. Not that anyone paid any attention to him. No one seemed to like Naruto all too much.

Kurami on the other hand had full thoughtfulness towards the boy. Naruto joked around a little too often. People may have ignored him and criticized him, but he always had a smile plastered on his face. But when Kurami saw him, she saw great sadness. He reminded her of someone. Someone she didn't like to think about a lot.

"Naruto! Hey stop staring at Sasuke!" Sakura's annoying voice seemed to bounce off the walls.

Kurami scrunched her eyes together, her ears feeling irritated by the noise.

At that moment, Sayumi busted out into a laughing fit. Kurami's eyes shot open at her cousins' outburst, and then she saw what she was amused by.

Naruto and Sasuke were…kissing?

The two boys pulled apart quickly, grasping their necks and spitting as if they were choking.

"Oh I can't believe that just happened!" Sayumi said once she caught her breath. Kurami let out a small laugh.

Most of the girls in the class surrounded Naruto, glaring daggers at him.

Sayumi leaned over to Kurami, "May-chan, they're just mad because Naruto was Sasuke's first kiss and not them." Kurami nodded in agreement.

Thankfully, Iruka walked in before the girls could pound on Naruto.

"As of today, you are all ninjas. To get here you've faced difficult trials and hardships. But that's nothing. What comes next will be far more difficult." Kurami nodded to this, she knew this was just the beginning. But she was so looking forward to being a ninja. Iruka continued, "Now you are only genin, first level ninjas. All the genin will be grouped into three man squads, led by a jounin, an elite ninja. Though this year we have an uneven amount of genin, so there will be one squad with four. We want each squad to have a balance of strengths and abilities, so that's how we set them up. I will now announce the squads…"

'This is it.' Kurami thought, she felt herself tense up, though she was extremely excited.

"Squad 7…Naruto Uzamaki, Sakura Haruno, Sasuke Uchiha and Sayumi Maruyama."

Murmurs erupted around the room. "What?" Sayumi blushed; she was the odd man out?

Iruka hushed the room, "Yes, squad 7 is our first ever four man squad.

"Next, squad 8…Hinata Hyuga, Kiba Inuzuka, Shino Aburame."

Kurami caught sight of Ino glaring at Sakura, and her cousin. Kurami tapped Sayumi's shoulder and nudged her head towards Ino.

"How did you get into his group?" Ino growled.

Sayumi cocked her brow, "By he you mean…?"

Ino looked furious, "You know who I mean, Sasuke!"

"I don't get it." Shikamaru cut in, he just so happened to get unlucky and have Ino sit next to him. "What do you see in a guy like that? He's not so special."

Kurami nodded her head in agreement, though no one noticed.

"You are so beyond clueless Shikamaru. Don't you get it?" Ino answered.

Shikamaru looked annoyed, "No I don't get it. Cause I'm not a girl."

"Jealousy's a terrible thing. I'd hate to be on your squad."

Iruka continued, "Now squad 10…Ino Yamanaka, Shikamaru Nara…"

Kurami and Sayumi giggled to themselves.

"Did you say something about hating to be on my squad?" Shikamaru teased.

"And Choji Akimichi." Iruka continued. Ino groaned.

Iruka sustained, "Next, squad 11…Akio Kenta,"

Kurami looked around the room for the boy, she found him as he high fived some other guy. She recognized him, though she never really talked to him. Sayumi often referred to him as cocky.

"Kurami Mayonaka, and Shin Taro."

Sayumi nudged Kurami, smirking. Shin Taro was probably the second hottest guy, besides Sasuke Uchiha.

"And those are all the squads." Iruka finished.

Naruto stood up, "Iruka-sensei. Why does a great ninja like me have to be in the same group with a slug like Sasuke?"

Kurami could hear Sayumi stifle a laugh.

"Sasuke had the best scored of all the graduating students, along with Sayumi. Naruto, you had the worst scores. To create a balance, we put the best students with the worst student."

"Huh?" Kurami heard Sayumi say and glanced at her, "I didn't know I had the highest score." Kurami smiled, she knew her cousin was bound to be a great kunoichi.

"Just make sure you don't get in my way," Sasuke spoke quietly, but everyone could hear what he spoke to Naruto, "Loser."

Naruto growled, "Hey, what did you say!"

"Hard of hearing?" Sasuke retorted.

Kurami couldn't help but roll her eyes as everyone else laughed.

"Knock it off Naruto, sit down!" Sakura shouted, that annoyed Kurami even more.

"Ahem," Iruka got everyone's attention, "After lunch, you'll meet your new jounin teachers, until then class dismissed."

"So," Sayumi stood up, "I cannot say I am too pleased with my team." Kurami began to follow her out the door.

At that moment, Sasuke Uchiha passed by. He obviously heard Sayumi and 'hm'-ed before he continued to walk out the room.

She scowled, "Yup, I'm definitely not pleased. But I wonder if my dad is our jounin teacher? That would make things better."

Kurami shrugged, "I like my team, I think. Maybe I could get to know them, during lunch."

"Aww, you're going to leave me?" Sayumi sighed.

Kurami shrugged, "I'm sure Naruto or Sakura would be happy to have lunch with you." Kurami quickly glanced around, trying to find her new comrades.

"I suppose, but I won't be happy." Sayumi walked off, in the direction Naruto was heading.

Kurami caught a glance of dark brown hair, it was Akio. She sped up her pace until she was right beside him, Shin also happened to be with him. They were both sitting just outside of the academy, under one of the many huge trees in Konoha.

"Hey." She tried to sound cheery. Akio grinned and said hi. Shin just bit into his rice ball. "I was wondering if we could get to know each other. Since we're teammates and all."

Akio nodded, "That's a good idea. I'm Akio Kenta, but I think you already knew that. I have to say, between the two of you, I so got the brawns!"

Kurami smirked but said nothing.

"Is that so?" Shin said in a low voice. Kurami never heard him talk before, he definitely sounded intimidating, but also soothing and just hot. She blushed lightly at her thoughts.

"Yeah! I mean, I know you Taro, you're smart so you've got the brains." Akio tried to explain.

Shin just shrugged his comment off and continued to eat his lunch.

"But you, Mayonaka, what do you have?"

Kurami thought for a while. What did she have to put into this team? She thought about her father, though it hurt to think of him, it helped. Kurami settled with one word.

"Willpower?"


	3. Squad 11

**I do NOT own anything affiliated with the Naruto franchise, it all belongs to Masashi Kishimoto. I take claim only to my OCs.**

**我愛羅愛****Monster:**

Chapter 2:

Everyone was back in Iruka's class. Of course, all the teams huddled with each other waiting in anticipation. Except Kurami and Sayumi who sat calmly by each other.

"What did you do for lunch?" Kurami asked casually, glancing towards the door as some sensei's would walk in, taking their teams. Sayumi shrugged.

"I didn't find Naruto or Sakura so I kind of just wondered around eating my rice ball." Sayumi smirked, "That's when I had a run in with Uchiha over there." Kurami glanced behind Sayumi where Sasuke was. He was glowering as usual, but glanced this way when Sayumi turned around to smirk at him. "He was basically trapped. By Naruto he says." Sayumi rolled her eyes as she glanced at some genin leaving. "What about you?"

Kurami sighed, "I ate with my team. Akio would not stop talking and Shin just didn't talk. It was very awkward."

"What's with those supposedly cute guys and their silence?" Kurami smiled as she shrugged at her cousin.

"Squad 11," A familiar voice called out. Both girls heads snapped towards the entrance. There stood Sayumi's father, Kurami's mothers brother."

"Dad," Sayumi breathed out, her father (as if he heard her) looked towards the girls, smiling at his daughter but in a quick second his face went back to being stern.

"My sensei is my uncle," Kurami said to her cousin, "This should be interesting."

Sayumi laughed, "Lucky. Hurry up and go! I'll see you at home."

Kurami made her way towards her uncle, seeing that Akio and Shin were already by him. "This way squad," he said as he led them out of the room.

They all walked behind their sensei quietly. Kurami smiled to herself, she felt more confident about her team, and especially since she had someone she was so comfortable with leading them.

They were finally led to the roof of a nearby building looking over the village. "Take a seat." Their sensei spoke as he made his way towards the railing, his hands behind his back. Kurami quickly sat on the ground, pulling her knees towards her stomach reflexively. The two boys sat beside her. Akio had a repulsed look on his face as he sat on the ground. Shin looked as unemotional as ever.

"I am Takashi Maruyama," he began, turning around to look at them, "and I'm going to be very straight forward with you all." That got everyone's attention.

"Of the thirty-one graduates who just came here only thirteen will actually be accepted as Genin. The other eighteen will be weeded out and sent back to the academy." Kurami felt herself gasp, and her body go rigid. She glanced beside her and noticed Akio's eyes grow wide with shock. "You'll be having a survival test. It's make it or break it and I decide whether you pass or fail."

"You can't be serious! We're already Genin aren't we; we took a test at the Academy. We should be doing missions." Akio blurt out, his fist clenched together.

"The test at the Academy was just to see which candidates might be a Genin or not." Akio grunted, "It's just how it is and it can be simple or difficult. It all depends on your actions."

"When is this test?" Shin asked, he seemed to have taken the information well, but his voice sounded tense.

"Tomorrow. Meet at the training grounds at noon." He ordered, but his voice changed to where he sounded slightly cheery when he said, "And now that we've gotten that out of the way." Face palm. "I don't really know you all, names would be nice." He pointed to Akio, "You first. Name and anything else you might want to add. Interests, hobbies, goals etcetera."

Akio smiled confidently, "The name is Akio Kenta. I like to train and do lots of physical activity. Got to keep these babies in shape!" He chuckled, referring to his muscles as he did a quick flex. "My goals are to get some pretty sweet ninja skills and beat out all the rest." He finished, smiling smugly.

Takashi nodded at Akio and then nodded towards Shin.

"My name is Shin Taro. I don't feel the need to tell you all much about me except for the fact that I'm here to fulfill my duty to my clan." He said monotonously.

Takashi sighed at his lack of interest, "And you Kurami?"

Kurami glanced down, "You already know me."

Takashi smiled for the first time since they began talking, "Right. Just so you two know, Kurami here is my niece."

"What!" Akio shouted. Shin remained unfazed by this information. Takashi nodded for her to talk.

"Yeah." Kurami began, "I'm Kurami Mayonaka. I'm originally from the Sand village. I like a lot of things. My main goal is to be the best kunoichi I can be." She looked up at her uncle, "For my father."

Their sensei nodded, "I believe that is enough today. Prepare yourself for tomorrow."

After they had gone their separate ways, Kurami and her uncle met up with Sayumi. Sayumi didn't exactly look too happy.

"My sensei is a nut!" She declared once she was in hearing distance to her relatives.

"Who is your sensei?" Kurami asked, the three of them were walking down a road that led to their home. The wind had picked up that evening, carrying the leaves with them. One of them skimmed Kurami's cheek.

"Kakashi Hatake. Apparent Jounin that fell for a cheap prank by Naruto." She sighed, "Too much to explain. But we have to meet at 5 A.M. at the training grounds AND we can't eat breakfast. It's major B.S."

Takashi gave his daughter a stern look which she replied with an innocent smile. "There's more to Kakashi than you know Yumi, you'll find that out tomorrow."

"Yeah, yeah." Sayumi said as they arrived to their destination, "Any advice Dad?"

Takashi thought for a while, pushing his leaf village headband up on his forehead aimlessly, "Since I am a sensei, I'll just tell you two this," The girls quieted, listening closely, "Remember the things I have taught you." With that, he walked into the house and towards his awaiting wife.

Sayumi huffed and rolled her eyes as she followed Kurami into the bedroom they shared.

"I'm eating breakfast no matter what. If I throw up, oh well!" Sayumi flopped onto her bed and stared up at the ceiling. "How'd it go with you?"

Kurami shrugged, "Fine I suppose." She carelessly put a stray ebony lock behind her ear, "I still can't believe we have to take a survival test! I hope we pass. To fail would mean I failed my father." She glanced down, feeling herself tear up.

Sayumi scrambled from her bed to her cousin's side, "You won't fail anyone." She put her palm on Kurami's back for comfort, "You have much more power in you than you are granted for. Your father saw that in you, I'm sure, just as I do and my parents do and anyone who's knows you for that matter."

Kurami smiled slightly, "I hope so."

_"You can do it. Just concentrate on your chakra."_

_ Kurami, barely seven, nodded as she closed her eyes. It was windy outside and the cool sand whipped at her long locks and stuck to her sweaty forehead. Normally, the young girl would be enjoying this weather, but she was training at the moment. There was no time to stop and smell the roses._

_ She took a deep breath, her hands were clasped together. Her father had taught her one hand signal, the tiger. Not that he was planning on teaching her a jutsu, but it helped her focus._

_ That's when she finally felt it, in the pit of her stomach. A gut clenching feeling that, unlike a stomach ache, felt mesmerizing. It felt almost like she had a boost of energy. She opened her eyes and met a pair of similar one's in front of her. _

_ Her father's eyes were wide in surprise, his jaw dropped slightly. "Wow." Was the only thing that came out, a whisper carried off into the wind. _

_ Kurami was taken aback by her father's features and felt her own eyes grow. She made the slightest movement and the feeling in her gut was gone. That's when the exhaustion kicked in, she felt her knees buckle and was surprised when she wobbled and almost fell face first into the ground. A pair of strong arms caught her and held her._

_ "No more." He whispered, patting her head for comfort._

_ "I didn't do it right?" she suggested, slightly confused from the whole incident._

_ Her father shook his head as he picked her up and carried her towards their house, "You did great, more than great. I wasn't sure you had it in you. You're so young."_

_ The young Kurami couldn't make sense from the words her father spoke, she just dug her face into his chest and let sleep take her._

"Kurami."

"Dad?"

"What? No, wake up." Kurami felt herself shake until she finally opened her eyes to the source of the disturbance.

Her cousins' wide eyes met hers, "Say-chan? What the heck, I was sleeping!"

"I need you to do me a favor."

Kurami finally sat up, whipping the sleep from her eyes. She noticed how wide awake her cousins' face looked, even though she had a case of bedhead. Her cousin was also already in her ninja gear.

"It's five already?" Kurami asked anxiously.

Sayumi nodded slightly, "Almost, I need to get going. But…"

Kurami searched her worried cousins' eyes, "What?"

"Wish me luck?"

Kurami smiled a tired smile, "Good luck."


	4. Survival Test

**All rights of Naruto go to Masashi Kishimoto. I take ownage to nothing but my characters.**

**我愛羅愛****Monster:**

Chapter 3:

Kurami hadn't slept a wink after Sayumi woke her up at five in the morning. She waited anxiously for her cousin before it was noon but Sayumi still hadn't made it back yet. So she trudged all the way to where her team was supposed to meet up at. Considering that her uncle wasn't home when she left, she didn't find him being there already very surprising.

"Well now that we're all here, we can get started." Takashi announced.

Akio yawned loudly, "What exactly are we doing?"

Takashi motioned with his hands towards two flags that were on opposite sides and far from each other, one was red and the other was blue. "Capture the flag." Their sensei began, "You three have to use the skills you've learned from the academy to make sure that **I** don't take your red flag, and that you **do** take my blue flag. A simple game that today will be used as your test."

Akio stretched out his arms and neck, "Sounds easy!"

Takashi smiled, "Yes. And if I do capture your flag then you all fail." Face palm. "And if you don't capture my flag by sun down, you also fail."

There was a moment of silence that passed through all of them as they took in what their sensei had just said. Kurami gulped nervously.

"Ready?" They all prepared themselves. Kurami would jump towards the flag and into a tree that surrounded it.

"Go."

As Kurami did exactly what she thought of, she saw that Shin was also doing the same thing. It seemed they were all on the same wave length.

"Hyaa!" Akio shouted as he jumped in the air, throwing shurikens, forcing Kurami's uncle to move out of the way of the blue flag. At that moment Akio greedily ran towards the flag, he was just a foot away when Takashi-sensei came out of nowhere and grabbed at his collar.

"You seemed to have not followed your ninja technique." Takashi said, shaking his head. "Ninja must know how to conceal their movements and hide effectively."

Akio grunted, "Yeah well it worked out better this way than I thought it would!"

Takashi shook his head again, and slowly let go of Kenta, "Well maybe you'll be better at taijutsu, the physical shinobi battle technique."

Akio smirked, "I can take you!"

Kurami groaned, annoyed by her teammate. She glanced around the tree she was in, 'I have to find Shin! We all have to stick together!' She stood up, ready to leap.

"No."

A hand reached out, grabbing onto her shoulder. She shrieked a little inside but stayed calm and silent as she turned around to face the boy she was about to start looking for.

"Don't move, you have to stay here to guard the flag." He commanded in his cool voice.

Kurami stared at him confused, "But…Akio. He's making a fool of himself out there. We have to stick together!"

Shin shook his head, he ran his hand through his dark hair, "Kenta may be dumb but he's not a complete idiot. This is the perfect distraction. I'll go get the flag, you guard ours."

"Wouldn't it be more effective if we all get the flag together?"

Shin got up, readying himself to jump through the trees, "Then who's going to guard ours?" With that, he took off.

Kurami sighed and looked over to where Akio was, he was fighting Takashi, but it looked more like Akio was just wasting his own energy.

'I should help him!' Kurami cried out in her head, 'But I can't. I need to stay put!'

SWOOSH

Out of nowhere, shurikens flew towards Takashi and Akio, forcing the two apart and Takashi to get thrown out of the way, several of them piercing his side.

Kurami screamed inside her head. She stayed frozen in a state of shock.

POOF

A log fell to the floor, replacing her uncles' body.

"What? Replacement jutsu?" Akio shouted aggravated.

Kurami leaped down onto another branch to get a better look towards the blue flag. A couple of minutes passed as Akio looked around confused. Shin was nowhere to be seen.

"Kurami."

Kurami jumped at the whisper but her head quickly snapped to the side of her. Shin was on another tree about a foot away. He leaped beside her.

"He used genjutsu on me; I was so close to getting that flag." Shin glowered down towards the direction of the blue flag.

"Genjutstu?" She said with her eyes grown wide.

"The illusion jutsu." Shin retorted. Kurami rolled her eyes.

"I know what it is! It's just I didn't think this test would go to such extremes."

Shin shook his head, "He's trying to show us the main battle techniques."

"Yeah well, let's try and skip these textual reminders and go for actually capturing that flag." Shin looked at Kurami with new eyes. Kurami was never this upfront with other people.

"How do you suppose we do that?"

Kurami thought for a while. How would she do it? She was never one to take up being a leader and she couldn't harm her uncle.

"Just follow my lead."

Shin looked at her suspiciously, "That's your plan?"

"What plan?"

The two jumped at the voice and noticed its source was none other than their sensei. Shin acted faster than Kurami and kicked at him. Kurami was forced to jump off the branch and right next to the red flag.

'I've got to act quickly.' She glanced up to where Shin and Takashi were. They were gone.

"Looking for someone?"

Takashi appeared right in front of her, he was inches from the flag.

"No!" Kurami did several hand signals from memory and as she blew into her right hand, and sand storm burst out causing Takashi to fly several feet from her and the flag. He regained himself quickly.

"Well I'm glad you're showing your strength Kurami. I'm very proud of you."

Kurami smirked, "Sorry uncle." Akio came up from behind their sensei and grabbed hold of him.

Takashi looked truly surprised. Without another second to pass Kurami made a sand barrier around the flag. At the same time, their sensei's body had poofed into yet another log.

"Get to the flag!" She shouted to Akio, Shin had leaped right to his side and they both began to run.

Kurami's body felt weak but she ran as fast as she could. Takashi was definitely faster.

He was already in a hand to hand combat with Akio and Shin. He showed amazing speed, but they were so close, right in front of the flag!

"Move him!" Shin shouted to Akio. Akio kicked at his sensei and so Takashi would avoid the impact he jumped up and on the other side of him.

'This is my chance!' Kurami ran even faster, she rounded off of Shin's back, since he crouched down for her to get through, and back hand springed right next to the blue flag.

"Yeah!" Akio shouted just as there was a loud crash sound. Everyone looked over to where the red flag was and there was Takashi, breaking the sand barrier.

Akio ran as fast as he could towards his sensei but Shin acted even faster. In one swift movement he had done several hand signs and was blowing a fiery blaze towards Kurami's uncle, forcing Takashi to leap away from the flag.

Her two teammates looked to Kurami who grabbed at the blue flag triumphantly. She called out to her unharmed uncle, "Does this mean we pass?"

Takashi had willingly and proudly passed the three Genin and as a reward, he paid for their dinner at the ramen shop.

As Akio scarfed down his second bowl, he turned to Kurami and Shin. "How is it that you two know so many high level jutstus?"

Shin answered as if the question didn't faze him, "We're ninja in training. How do you not know?"

Akio looked at him baffled.

Takashi shook his head smiling, "It seems I have quite a powerful team on my hands."

Akio ignored his sensei and turned his attention onto Kurami, "No seriously, how do you know so much?"

Kurami took a sip of her ramen and shrugged. "It just came to me."

Chapter 4:

"I am sick and tired of these lame missions!" Akio shouted once again. Kurami's team was headed for the Hokage's office for yet another mission. Kurami sighed as she walked along side Akio, she definitely agreed.

"Yes, but I'm sure you don't have the balls to say that to the Hokage, huh Kenta?" Shin said with a sneer. His arms were crossed as they walked on. Kurami was surprised by his comment, but from the look on his face, he seemed to also be annoyed with the lousy missions.

"Hey! Shut up!" Akio shouted, though he wasn't angry at his teammate. He was more upset at the situation they were in.

Shin sighed, "Babysitting. Finding lost pets. Cleaning houses. Since when are ninjas personal slaves to the village?" His voice was at ease, but you could hear the annoyance in his words.

Their sensei seemed to have been tuning them out as he walked ahead. Takashi didn't once join in on their conversation. They all stopped their chatter when Takashi took an abrupt left and opened a door which lead to the infamous Hokage. Kurami always got anxious when face to face with the leader of Konoha. Though he was a kind man, she couldn't help but feel intimidated.

The Hokage smirked at the three. "Well don't you all look thrilled to be here."

Shin snapped, his eyes pierced into the Hokages, "Can you just tell us our second-rate mission so we can get it over with." Akio's mouth dropped at the same time Kurami's did. Their wide eyes gazing at Shin in disbelief.

"You just…" Akio sputtered out.

"Shin." Takashi's stern voice boomed over Akio's, "That is very disrespectful –"

The Hokage lifted his hand to cut him off. "It's quite alright Takashi. I can understand their frustration. But for you Genin, it is vital that your D-missions are easy for you all and yet also help strengthen you as a team."

Akio hesitantly spoke up, "But can't we do something more exciting?"

The Hokage nodded, "I do have something in mind for you all." He handed a paper to their sensei. "Your next mission is to deliver a package to the Kazekage in the sand village."

Kurami felt her heart skip a beat.

"Yeah! That's more like it!" Akio cheered.

Kurami noticed her uncle glance towards her, a small smile graced his features. She smiled back. She would be returning home.

As they walked out of the Hokage's 'headquarters', Shin and Akio broke out into another little argument.

"Only you would find delivering a message exciting." Shin said in his cool voice, his arms crossed as he walked beside his teammates. His eyebrow twitched in frustration.

"Yeah well, what kind of stunt was that that you pulled in there!" Akio's arms flailed out in anger.

"Like I said before, something you don't have the guts to do."

"You didn't say guts! I know what you said!"

Kurami just shook her head and tuned the two out. The walk to Suna was quite a long one, she wasn't sure if those two could handle it.

"Hey." Takashi said abruptly, turning around and getting their attention in one swift movement. "You will go home, pack a few necessities and meet me at the gates."

Akio looked at his sensei with wide curious eyes, "We're leaving today?"

Takashi tilted his head, "Weren't you all just whining for a 'first rate' mission?"

Shin scolded, "It's still second rate."

Takashi lifted his hand, "Be that as it may, you all have gotten what you've asked for. So be prepared."

"Wow. How long has it been since you've been there?" Her cousin asked her, wide-eyed from her crisscross sitting position. Kurami lifted her pack over her shoulders.

"It's been too long."

"Well." Sayumi said, standing up, "I should probably head out. We have a cat to find!" She said sarcastically. She waved goodbye, and then Kurami was alone.

Kurami didn't notice her uncle come back to the house, so she figured he beat her there and was already waiting by the gates.

"Better hurry." Kurami ran, hoping off roofs to get to the gates. She was sure she a few villagers yelled at her in annoyance.

When she made it to the gates, her whole team was there, ready to go. Akio was jumping up and down in excitement and to 'pump himself up'. Shin waited a foot outside the gates.

"Now that we're all accounted for, shall we go?" Takashi asked, smiling kindly at them all.

Kurami felt a burning sensation and instantly a memory of her father popped in her head. Him smiling down at his daughter. Though Takashi looked nothing like her father since there was no relation, he often reminded Kurami of her dad. She smiled back at her uncle and gave a curt nod.

"Yeah!" Akio shouted excitedly, "We're off to the sand village!"

Kurami smiled to herself, 'This is really happening'

"Shut up already Kenta." "No you shut up!"

'I'm going home.'

**Thanks for reading, feedback is greatly appreciated!**


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